The poignant tribute of the scouts of Toulouse to Mgr Saliège
80 years ago to the day, on August 23, 1942, Mgr Jules Saliège, then Archbishop of Toulouse, wrote a letter on “the human person” which marks history. Reacting strongly against the treatment given to Jews, he “clearly roused Christian consciences”.
It is a beautiful tribute that the Catholic and Jewish communities of Toulouse wanted to pay on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the publication of the letter on “the human person” by Mgr Jules Saliège, then Archbishop of Toulouse. A letter which “awakened Christian consciences” and which led to an awareness of the dignity of the person and of fraternity. In this short video, we see unit scouts from France, scouts and guides from France, scouts from Europe and Israelite scouts and scouts from France reading this letter together.
On August 23, 1942, Bishop Jules-Géraud Saliège, sent a letter to the parish priests of the diocese to be read on Sunday in all the churches. In this letter, he vigorously denounces the violence done to the Jews and the contempt for the rights of individuals. This letter, whose diffusion the French government tried to block, will be widely taken up and broadcast by the Vatican and on the airwaves of the BBC. “These words will resonate in the ears of the French population. They will encourage multiple initiatives or even support French people in the fight against the persecution of Jews, leading to numerous acts of solidarity, both individual and collective,” accurate the diocese of Toulouse. “Mgr Saliège even went so far as to make the resources of the diocese of Toulouse available to help Jewish protection networks and was, for these reasons, arrested by the Gestapo – before being released for state of health. A whole “Saliège network” is set up. »
Unanimously recognized for his action after the war, Mgr Saliège was made a Companion of the Liberation by Charles de Gaulle in 1945. He received the title of Cardinal a year later and that of Righteous Among the Nations in 1969.
The Chief Rabbi of France, Haïm Korsia, and the President of the Conference of Bishops of France, Mgr Éric de Moulins-Beaufort, also wished that the letter of Mgr Jules Saliège be read respectively in the synagogues on Saturday July 16 and in the parishes on Monday August 15. Here is the full text:
LETTER FROM THE ARCHBISHOP OF TOULOUSE ON THE HUMAN PERSON
My very dear Brothers,
There is a Christian morality, there is a human morality which imposes duties and recognizes rights. These duties and these rights are due to the nature of man. They come from God. We can violate them. It is not in the power of any mortal to suppress them.
That children, women, men, fathers and mothers be treated like a vile herd, that the members of the same family be separated from each other and deposited for an unknown destination, it was reserved for our time to see this sad sight.
Why does the right of asylum in our churches no longer exist?
Why are we losers?
Lord, have mercy on us.
Our Lady, pray for France.
In our diocese, scenes of horror – the expression was maintained by “moving” after Jules Saliège had received pressure – took place in the camps of Noé and Récébédou. Jews are men, Jewesses are women. Foreigners are men, foreigners are women. Everything is not allowed against them, against these men, against these women, against these fathers and mothers of families. They are part of the human race. They are our brothers like so many others. A Christian cannot forget this.
France, beloved fatherland France which carries in the conscience of all your children the tradition of respect for the human person, chivalrous and generous France, I have no doubt, you are not responsible for these horrors — for the same reason, this word has been replaced by “errors”.
Receive, my dear Brothers, the assurance of my devoted respect.
Jules-Géraud SALIÈGE
Archbishop of Toulouse
Read next Sunday [23 août 1942]no comment.